Ian is a Private Property solicitor with over 25 years’ experience handling prime and super-prime London residential property transactions. He has advised some of the world’s most powerful people investing in the London prime residential property sector on buying, selling and developing in London. Most of Ian’s clients are international, and have included foreign royal families, country leaders and the owners of successful businesses. As well as advising high-net-worth individuals, Ian advises major property companies. He has also assisted international banks with property finance deals. Ian is dual-qualified in England and Wales and in the British Virgin Islands. He often advises banks, companies and law firms on the ability of BVI companies to enter into property and other transactions. In 2019, Ian was top-ranked in The Spear’s 500, in Chambers HNW and in The Legal 500.
Residential property
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Rising stars
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Michelle is a Senior Associate in Druces’ Real Estate team. Michelle specialises in leasehold enfranchisement and in commercial and residential property. Michelle has experience assisting both landlords and tenants in leasehold enfranchisement (including in respect of lease extensions, collective enfranchisements and rights of first refusal) and in UK residential and commercial property. Michelle advises a variety of clients, including individuals, developers and companies.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Reem is a Partner in the Private Client and Tax team. Reem is a fluent Arabic speaking Partner specialising in the sale and purchase of UK residential property, including prime central London and large London development projects. Reem has over ten years’ experience handling client property transactions and advises both high net worth individuals and companies (offshore and domestic). She also has vast experience in secured lending and advising private banks in property financing transactions. As an Arabic speaker, Reem has a particular focus and interest in the Middle East, with significant experience advising many clients from the region.
Edward acts predominately for high net worth families and individuals on a range of acquisitions and disposals of high value residential property. He also advises both landlords and tenants in respect of statutory lease extensions in some of the most desirable parts of London. He has experience in all aspects of residential property work. He focuses in particular on the higher end of the London and country property markets and regularly assists individuals who are purchasing, selling, mortgaging or letting high value homes, investment properties or country estates. He works hand in hand with our private client and corporate teams in structuring transactions in a tax efficient manner.
Edward is a partner in the Real Estate team and specialises in acting for private clients in relation to prime and super prime residential property. He has experience in working across the spectrum of residential property work, from listed buildings on the London estates and new build super prime apartments to country houses. He regularly acts on the highest value and most complex deals in London. He also advises on enfranchisement and lease extensions as well as working closely with the Private Wealth team on residential property structures. Having previously featured in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 editions, Edward is ranked individually in the Chambers HNW Guide 2020. He is also listed in the Legal 500 2020 as a Rising Star.Edward has also been ranked as one of eprivateclient's Top 35 under 35 and was named in the inaugural Spear's 500 as a Recommended Lawyer.
Nicholas is a partner in the private property team. Having undertaken his training at the firm, Nicholas became a partner in the real estate team in 2016. His main area of practice is the acquisition and sale of residential property. He has particular experience assisting clients acquire prime central London residential property and specialises in high value and complex transactions. As well as acquisition and sale, Nicholas advises clients on all aspects of residential property including lease extensions, freehold enfranchisement and refinances. His domestic and international client base includes developers, lenders and High and Ultra-High Net Worth families. Recently, Nick has also seen an increase in crypto financing for real estate transactions within the market and is aware of the challenges and opportunities this may bring. A fluent Italian speaker, Nicholas is head of Withers' Italian team in London.
Leading individuals
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Pervaze advises on all aspects of residential property in England and Wales. He has a diverse client base ranging from overseas investors, high-net-worth individuals and their companies, to trust companies, trustees, investment companies, trading companies, and banks. He purchases or disposes of prime or super-prime residential property predominantly in London, often involving complex offshore structures and time sensitive lending requirements. As a result of his extensive experience dealing with trustees and trust companies in the Channel Islands and British Virgin Islands, he seamlessly navigates the regulatory and fiduciary requirements specific to the region when acting on multi-jurisdictional transactions. He also has strong connections throughout the UK and overseas, particularly in the Middle East and South East Asia.
Tom’s practice covers all aspects of residential conveyancing, acting for UK and overseas individuals, estates, companies, banks and funds advising on disposals and acquisitions of freehold and leasehold properties as well as general landlord and tenant issues.
Saskia is a Partner in the Property team. Saskia has a diverse client base and wide ranging practice focusing on the residential, rural and landed estates sectors and advising on all areas of property law that impact on high net worth individuals, large land owners and estates. She leads the firm's residential practice and acts for both domestic and foreign nationals and works closely with our tax, private client and corporate teams on the often complex arrangements surrounding such transactions. With a number of urban and country estate clients, along with property investors and private clients, she acts on all major property matters including sales and purchases of high value residential property, landed estates and commercial farming operations, overage arrangements, landlord and tenant issues (whether residential, commercial or agricultural), easements, first registrations, sporting and telecommunications, together with the ongoing day to day management advice on a myriad of issues. She regularly acts on acquisitions and purchases of the most expensive land, farms and residential properties and estates in England.
Sarah is a partner and Head of the Real Estate practice and with 30 years of experience in London's prime residential market, she specialises in high value and complex residential real estate transactions as well as enfranchisement and lease extensions. Sarah works closely with agents, planners, developers, lenders and other bodies. She has an international client base, and is adept in meeting the demands of both overseas and UK clients.Sarah is ranked in Band 1 as a Leading Individual in the Chambers HNW Guide 2020 and in the Legal 500 Residential Real Estate Guide 2020 and won the Chambers HNW 2018 Residential Property Lawyer of the Year Award in November 2018.
Emma is a partner in the Property department. She advises on all aspects of residential property with particular expertise in landlord and tenant matters, leasehold enfranchisement development, complex funding arrangements, acting for clients from overseas and ancillary tax matters. Emma acts for private individuals, investors, developers, banks and institutions. She frequently acts for clients from overseas and often leads teams of advisers in a number of different jurisdictions. When acting for private individuals buying property for their own use, Emma offers a ‘turnkey’ service: formulating the offer, acting on the acquisition, advising on tax and structuring and assisting with all aspects the development of the property. As a result of the personal service that Emma delivers, she has built longstanding close relationships with many of her clients. She is a trusted adviser to individuals and families, in many cases providing advice and support to three generations. Emma is author Hill & Redman's Law of landlord and tenant: residential tenancies precedents.
Shaima is a Residential Property Partner at Boodle Hatfield. She is experienced in all aspects of residential property including acquisitions, disposals and financing of UK property. Shaima is fluent in Arabic and has a strong Middle Eastern client base. She acts for high net worth individuals and companies along with Private and Islamic banks.
Simon is a Partner in our Property department, who deals with all aspects of residential property work, in particular landlord and tenant matters. He has detailed knowledge and experience in leasehold enfranchisement cases, both for landlords (including large landed estates both in and outside London) and tenants. He also deals with acquisitions and disposals for high-net-worth individuals.
James is a Partner and Head of Mishcon de Reya's Residential Property team specialising in residential conveyancing. He is experienced in dealing with complex deals involving shared ownership, auction sales, portfolio purchases, tenancy and planning issues. That said, his comprehensive background means that he is an expert in handling straightforward sale transactions and purchase and refinancing transactions. James also has a lot of experience working with lenders on joint venture schemes and completing high value loans on residential properties. James' clients are predominantly high net worth individuals. For this reason he often deals with other Private client teams across the firm such Tax and Family, as well as Corporate. James actively engages with the media and has featured on BBC Radio 2 as a result of his expertise. Highly regarded among his peers, Chambers UK notes James as "an integral piece of the jigsaw" in their High Net Worth Guide 2018. He was also recognised by Spear's as Top Six Property Lawyers as part of their Property Advisors Index 2019.
Tom acts for UK and foreign clients in relation to the acquisition or disposal of residential and agricultural property, landlord and tenant matters including leasehold enfranchisement, lease extensions, mortgages and finance. He works very closely with the onshore and international tax teams in particular, and his overriding aim is to provide a joined up integrated service to the private client. Tom is recognised as a “Band 1” lawyer in Chambers HNW and as a “Leading Individual” in Legal 500. He is also top recommended in the Spear’s 500 guide and in the Spears Property Advisors index. Chambers says that Tom “is, as ever, exceptional, knowledgeable, wise, and gives very sound advice" with another noting that “He is a team player, he is focused and articulate - his depth of expertise prevails every time."
Sakhjit is a Private Property solicitor with over 17 years’ experience dealing with prime and super-prime London residential property transactions, in particular high-value residential property acquisitions, disposals and developments. Her clients include ultra-high-net-worth individuals, property development companies, high-profile entrepreneurs, overseas ruling family members, celebrities and international investors. Most of the transactions she advises on are within the prime and super-prime London postcodes.
Nick is a partner in the Residential Property team and over recent years he has developed a reputation as being one of the leading lawyers in prime central London within his field of expertise. Nick has a large portfolio of clients and business introducers based not only in the UK but worldwide. Notably this includes travelling to Singapore with a particular focus on creating long term opportunities and business relationships.
Head of residential property team dealing with high-value residential transactions of London and rural property. Recent transactions for both national and international clients. The team acts on purchasing some of the most valuable residential property in England, particularly in prime Central London. The residential property team at Withers provides a personal and confidential service and works closely with wealth planning lawyers to create tax-efficient holding structures for property in the UK and worldwide.
Sonal Thakrar is a Partner in the Residential Property team. She is described as a ‘dynamite conveyancer and hugely energetic’. She provides advice on all aspects of UK residential property and secured lending to banks and her expertise focuses on purchasing or disposing of prime or super-prime residential property in Central London, often involving complex offshore structures and time sensitive lending requirements whilst navigating deal driven sensitivities. Sonal effortlessly navigates the regulatory and fiduciary requirements specific to the region when acting on multi-jurisdictional transactions. She also has strong connections throughout the UK and globally. Throughout her career, Sonal has built a dynamic and diverse client base ranging from overseas investors, UHNW individuals and their companies, and family offices to trust companies, investment companies, trading companies and banks. She is able to adapt effortlessly to cultural and time-based needs that a client may have in the course of a transaction and delivers on very high profile and high value transactions in prime and super prime Central London despite difficult market conditions. Sonal injects infectious drive and enthusiasm into aspects of her work, whilst leading teams of experts both internally and externally on a range of complex matters. Peers describe her as ‘very dynamic, very high-tempo and very client-focused’ as well as ‘commercial and pragmatic’. Sonal leads a team which, through their breadth of knowledge, understanding of their clients’ unique situations and their success in building close working relationships with all parties involved in transactions, has grown to become one of the largest dedicated residential property practices in London.